Telecom Provider LIME and Digicel to start selling the Blackberry Z10 on Tuesday April 23 2013 - No long lines as the Recession drags us into Oblivion

On Thursday April 18^th 2013 and Friday April 19^th 2013, fans of the Blackberry got a double serving of, well, the company Blackberry, formerly Ontario, Canada-based RIM (Research in Motion)! On those dates respectively, Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel launched Blackberry and their latest phone, the Blackberry Z10. 

Oddly enough, Telecom Provider LIME Blackberry Z10 Launch Ceremony on Thursday April 18^th 2013 at the Oxford Towers in Kingston  was loud and lavish and well carried by both newspapers as can be seen in “LIME, in spectacular fashion, introduces BlackBerry Z10”, published Sunday, April 21, 2013, The Jamaica Observer and “LIME launches BlackBerry Z10”, Published Sunday April 21, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner.

It even got press coverage in Geezam blogger Kelroy’s article entitled “LIME Jamaica launches Blackberry Z10 at glitzy event in Kingston”, to which he got invited and will later post pictures from the event, which was basically in the backyard of his workplace, so to speak.

Meanwhile Telecom Provider Digicel, strangely enough, opted for a soft Launch the following day on Friday April 19^th 2013. Telecom Provider Digicel’s only Press Coverage being in The Jamaica Star as per the article “Digicel launches new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone”, published Monday April 15 2013, The Jamaica Star. Oh, and there’s their formal Press Release on their Digicel’s Launch of the Blackberry Z10.

Both companies, coincidentally, plan to make the Blackberry Z10 available in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean on Tuesday April 23^rd 2013, which is tomorrow. Again, more evidence, as far as I’m concerned, of Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel now realizing they’ll have to work together to nurse the limping Wireless Broadband Data market along. Ditto too as it relates to getting one of the two (2) coveted 700MHz Spectrum Licenses for LTE (Long Term Evolution).

First evidence of this changing mindset was the Tablet donation to the Preparatory and Primary School Students as evidenced in my blog article entitled “LIME and Digicel both make Donations of Tablets to Preparatory and Primary Schools - How Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark started a Love for Computer Programming Languages in Jamaica”.

But why so quiet a launch for the Blackberry Z10 by Telecom Provider Digicel, which was launched in the US of A in spectacular Fashion by RIM as stated in my blog article entitled “RIM rebrands as Blackberry and Launches Blackberry Z10 and Q10 - Alicia Keys' Global Creative Director is a Girl on Fire for these Tallawah yet Beautiful Creatures” and Geezam blogger Kelroy’s article entitled “BlackBerry 10 Officially launches – Z10 and Q10 flagship devices”?

Possibly Telecom Provider Digicel wasn’t so confident about the Blackberry Z10 doing well in Jamaica as opined by Geezam blogger Horace in his article “Blackberry 10: Can It Rescue Blackberry?”. Possibly too, being as it’s Blackberry’s first TRUE smartphone and the older Blackberry handset sales are in a free-fall as many Jamaicans opt to have relative abroad just send them a refurbished Blackberry.

Even worse, smartphone adoption is picking up as per my Geezam Blog article entitled “Apple iPhone boosts Jamaican smartphone usage as BB goes Chapter 11 Bankruptcy” and my blog article entitled “Blackberry popularity wanes as Jamaicans go smartphones - Android and Apple's Smartphone Revolution”. However, the cost of a smartphone seems to be making many Jamaican opt to have relatives abroad just send them a refurbished smartphone…....creating the same problem of lackluster handset sale for Telecom Provider Digicel all over again.

To this end, Telecom Provider Digicel has launched the sub-US$100 smartphone, the Google Android 4.1 aka Jellybean smartphone known as the Digicel DL600. This is really an attempt to shore up lackluster smartphone sales and boost Data Plan adoption with this rebranded Alcatel One Touch S'Pop as opined in my blog article entitled “Digicel to launch the DL600 Smartphone by Mid-May 2013 starting below US$100 - Alcatel One Touch running Firefox OS marketed like The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”.

Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel need to be as Brave (2012) as Blackberry.

Facing criticism in a Wall Street Journal report by Detwiler Fenton analyst Jeff Johnston claiming that people are returning the Blackberry Z10 in droves, Blackberry stoutly denied this as reported in “BlackBerry denies abnormally high return rate for Z10 phone”, published April 11, 2013 1:23 PM PDT, by Roger Cheng, CNET News, stating the return rates are normal for any new smartphone launch.

Telecom Provider Verizon has now come to their aid, stating sales are moving briskly and stating that quote: “after 14 days, quality performance [of the Blackberry Z10] has been in line with other smartphone launches” as noted in the article “Verizon backs up BlackBerry, says Z10 returns aren’t high at all”, published April 15, 2013 at 11:35 AM By Brad Reed, BGR.

Argument done! Blackberry steady recovery is assured….in the US of A and Canada. Not so confident ‘bout the Developing World, where the Blackberry Z10 is still a pricey smartphone upgrade to your older Blackberry that already does everything you need.

So this higher priced Blackberry Z10 is possibly being viewed with suspicion, as albeit it a smartphone, it very pricey, come Tuesday April 23^rd 2013 at either Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel. Sales may be worse than in the US of A and Canada; No long lines as the Recession drags us into Oblivion (2013).

One last thing. Since Telecom Provider LIME went all out for the Blackberry Z10, will they do the same for the Blackberry Q10? Stay tuned to this blog and the Geezam Blog…….

Dr Lawrence Williams develops Bovine Serum Albumin for Animal Testing and Guinea Hen Weed for Cancer

When I work out the cost, if the cost is US$1,000 for using animals, which excludes the chemicals you have to use, this assay is US$100. Cheap, cheap, cheap. And that's complete — including the chemicals already in the assay

Comments by Jamaican Scientist Dr Lawrence Williams on his breakthrough development of a BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) assay to replace Animal Testing in the Jamaica Observer, Sunday April 14^th 2013

Jamaican Scientist Dr Lawrence Williams has now made it plain that can Jamaicans contribute to the body of scientific work. Dr Lawrence Williams, a researcher at the SRC (The Scientific Research Council) has revealed the publication in the West Indian Medical Journal in 2008 of a means of testing drugs without the need to kill animals using a BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) assay as published in the article “Jamaican scientist has good news for our animals”, published April 9th, 2013, The Scientific Research Council.  

Animals worldwide, from Guinea Pigs and Rats to Monkeys can give Dr Lawrence Williams two (2) paws up! 

The Jamaica Gleaner cloned the SRC article word for word and The Jamaica Observer almost a week later reported the significance of this scientific publication in the articles  “Jamaican develops serum to save animals from lab testing”, published Monday April 8, 2013 by Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Scientific breakthrough?”, published Sunday, April 14, 2013 BY KIMONE THOMPSON Associate Editor — Features, The Jamaica Observer  respectively.  

Talk about copycats, SRC!

Regardless, in the process, Dr Lawrence Williams may have also set himself up for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry or possibly the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His discoveries touches on those fields, according to his research buddy German Professor of Chemistry Dr Wolfgang Kraus at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, who cautiously stated quote: “…..the academic community may decide some day about international recognition”.

Interestingly he’s already been nominated for the Nobel Prize before along with winning other prestigious awards:

1.      Nomination for the Nobel Prize (2001)

2.      The United Cultural Convention's International Peace Prize (2003)

3.      The Jamaica's Silver Musgrave Medal (2011)

4.      Nomination for the American Biographical Institute's Man of the Year designation (2010)

BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) is a Protein derived from the blood of slaughtered cattle, the same blood albumin that’s the active transport mechanism for chemical compounds thought the body. Consequently, as it’s a Protein that chemically resembles the albumin found in humans, it’s excellent for testing the effect of new drugs on at a faction of the cost, about US$100 per assay.  In the words of Dr Lawrence Williams, quote: “There are no justifications at the cellular level why animals should be used to develop drugs for human beings. While this assay is available it should be given priority as it does not involve harming living things”.

His BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) assay has actually been in use for the past decade at around fourteen (14) Research institutions globally, having been developed over a fourteen (14) year span and been actively developed as a replacement for expensive place of animal testing., it definitely a major breakthrough, based on frequent weekly requests for permission to use his assay technique, quote “I never thought of it as a major breakthrough at the time. I wasn't looking at it in that light until so many people started using it, instead of animals. Every week, basically, for the past six months, people have been asking if they can use it”.

That “cheaper” is what caught my eye as I was trolling the Internet using Google looking for a good replacement for Garlic in my diet and led me eventually to the SRC website.

Discoveries? There are several prior to this one, again which led me to stumbling upon this most recent developement by Dr Lawrence Williams.

Dr Lawrence Williams, the consummate Scientist, graduated from UWI (University of the West Indies in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology with a Chemistry minor and earned his PhD in Zoology in 1991 for his research into Breadfruit, has a rather interesting personal history as detailed in the article “Dr Lawrence Williams has a passion for research”, published Sunday, June 11, 2006 BY PETRE WILLIAMS Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

He also received the prestigious Alexander von Humbolt Scholarship in 2003 to do post-doctoral studies on the Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) at the Hohenheim University in Germany where he was aided in his research by professors Harold Rosner and Wolfgang Kraus. He still works at the SRC as a consultant and he possibly still lectures in Human Anatomy in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies.

Maybe he may even be lecturing over at the newly rebranded Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the West Indies,which now has a now decidedly Engineering-esque focus as surmised in my blog article entitled “UWI's Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences is now Science and Technology as SPIE funds Optics Research - Welcome to the Punch at a multi-billion dollar Optics Revolution”.

Since then he and fellow researcher Dr George Levy, a Jamaican born Doctor who's practicing Medicine in the US have made a Protein complex of the extract of the active chemical in the Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) that fights various cancers as reported in the article “Jamaican scientist lands blow in cancer fight”, published Thursday December 2, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner and the follow-up article “Williams' cancer patent: Utmost for the highest”, published Thursday December 16, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Dibenzyl Trisulphide (C₁₄H₁₄S₃ )  and Astilbin are the active ingredients that can be extracted via seeping powdered Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) using a fine cloth bag in Distilled Water made as described in my Geezam blog entitled “How to Make Distilled Water using a Solar Desalinator”.

Then the active compounds, which are organic an slightly soluble in Distilled Water, can then be further purified and crystallized via adding 100% pure Ethyl Alcohol and then using gentle heat from a Vacuum Water Bath to drive off the excess Ethyl Alcohol and Water. The final Green Liquor, so to speak, can be Vacuum Filtered leaving mainly Crystals of Dibenzyl Trisulphide (C₁₄H₁₄S₃ )  and Astilbin for personal use. Best stored in Dark bottle away from direct sunlight, by the way!

Or you can skip all of that and buy a 12-pack of Guinea Hen Weed Extract on Amazon for US$12.95. Either way, it’s to you health’s benefit as it’s several “Ounce[s] of Prevention”, Dr Tony Vendryes Style!

Dibenzyl Trisulphide (C₁₄H₁₄S₃ )  and Astilbin  was among thirty four (34) active phyto-chemical compounds single out in research and shown to specifically attack Cancer Cells to the exclusion of Healthy normal Cells; very rare for naturally occurring phyto-chemical compounds as noted in the article “Guinea hen weed: A powerful Jamaican herb”, published Tuesday October 18, 2011, by Dr Tony Vendryes at, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Dr Lawrence Williams shows no sign of stopping there. He’s got plans to raise a further US$20 million to develop the BSA assay and further his research into Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) main active ingredient, Dibenzyl Trisulphide (C₁₄H₁₄S₃ ) as per the most recent news in the article entitled “More success for Guinea Hen Weed”, published Sunday, April 21, 2013 BY KIMONE THOMPSON Features Editor,  The Jamaica Observer.

But a panacea for all diseases, including Ageing? To quote Dr Lawrence Williams: “The key breakthrough is that DTS can reprogramme the thymus. We think it is going to change the face of medicine. It could be a broad spectrum cure for disease”

And here was I thinking that Nanoparticles of Liposomes with Bee poison Mellitin attached was the only cure all for Cancer as described in my blog article entitled “Washington University School of Medicine Researchers use Liposomes and Melittin to kill HIV - Olympus has Fallen and given us a Panacea for every disease on planet Earth”!

Ditto too for Research into Bacterio-Phage therapy, which I believe the UWI can also undertake here in Jamaica as per my recommendation in my blog article entitled “Bacteriophage Therapy from former USSR State Georgia is a potential treatment against Super-bug Bacteria - Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters Panacea to eradicate Bacterial infections”

By itself, the Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) does a fantastic job of fighting cancer, based on known folklore. This folklore the possible source of the hypothesis and thus subsequent research by the native St. Elizabethan and former Calabar Old Boy Dr Lawrence Williams and Dr George Levy.

The Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea), also referred to as Anamu in Latin American, is also called Guinea Hen Weed, Guinea Hen Leaf, Garlic Weed or Gully Root, has several plant compounds or phyto-chemicals, namely Dibenzyl Trisulphide and Astilbin. Nuff name it have; no wonder it’s famous!

In addition, the Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) also contains a grab-bag of other active ingredients, about 20 of ‘em, mostly Favanoids, Triterpenes, Steroids, and Sulfur compounds. These phyto-chemical compounds are chemically similar to compounds found in Garlic (Allium sativum). Garlic (Allium sativum), like Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea)), is already know to be good for the prostate.

It has other traditional uses know in medical folklore and have now been further validated by science :

1.         Arthritis

2.         Digestive disorders

3.         Infections

4.         Diabetes

5.         Cancers including Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, Leukemia

6.         Pain relief

7.         Induce abortions

8.         Alzheimer's Disease

9.         Parkinson's Disease

10.     Ageing (yes you read that right!)

This discovery in Cancer treatment using Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria Alliacea) is on the same level and of the same pedigree in the Medicinal Sciences as Jamaican pharmacologist, Professor Manley West and ophthalmologist, Dr. Albert Lockhart.

Both these Scientists used Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) to develop Canasol as noted in “Ganja-based eyedrops a hot sell”, published Sunday August 24, 2003 by Teino Evans, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner, also based on folklore involving Rastafarians having excellent Night Vision due to smoking Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa). Canasol is now a now popular eye drop remedy for Glaucoma and “Doctors develop first eye medication in the Carib”, published Sunday August 16, 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner.

So never mind the fact that this St. Elizabeth native still works at the same place, the SRC (The Scientific Research Council), lives with his parents and is not married. I like his research, especially this latest discovery and the fact he at least enjoys Volleyball, which is a favourite sport of the community I’m from; Milk River, Clarendon.

A lot of animals, from Guinea Pigs and rats to monkeys can give Dr Lawrence Williams two (2) paws up!  Who knows, maybe one day I too may get some recognition for my hair-brained idea for using GSM (Global System Mobile) Triangulation or other more advance techniques to keep track of Stray Animals in Jamaica as suggested in my blog article entitled “The Zoological Society of London and their Cat Map - How UWI's Department of Biotechnology, the JSPCA and Telecom Providers can Kick Ass 2 against Feral Cats and Dogs”.

For now, for SOS (Saving Our Skins) both humans suffering from Cancer and Disease, the Cats and Dogs (2001) give this US$100 discovery 2 Paws up!

LIME and Digicel both make Donations of Tablets to Preparatory and Primary Schools - How Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark started a Love for Computer Programming Languages in Jamaica

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14, King James Version (KJV)

Both Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel in the first part of the Month of April 2013, made gestures that indicate that they may all be going to Heaven. While they're on they're way to heaven, I wish to be renamed Dr. Indiana Jones, as this is my original suggestion, actually.

Apple iPads and Apple iPad Minis were donated by Telecom Provider LIME to the kids at the Praise Tabernacle Christian Academy located off Molynes Road in St. Kingston as reported in “Praise Tab using tablets to learn”, published Monday | April 8, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner. Apparently the Apple iPads and Apple iPad Mini are not free, as the Parents have to pay for them on a Payment Plan.

Telecom Provider LIME, really? 

Not to be outdone, the following day (or is really the same day??), Telecom Provider Digicel donated fifty six (56) Huawei Media Pads 7 Lite, valued at some JA$1.1 million dollars to seven (7) East Kingston Schools as reported in the article “Seven Primary Schools in East Kingston Get Tablet Computers”, published Tuesday, 09 April 2013 11:37, Written by JIS, The Jamaica Information Service.

The local newspapers The Jamaica Gleaner and The Jamaica Observer also provided coverage and more details “Digicel donates tablets to Kingston, Port Royal schools”, published Tuesday April 9, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Digicel donates tablets to 7 city schools”, published Wednesday, April 10, 2013, The Jamaica Observer. 

Their donation appeared to be more higher profile than the silent and somewhat very expensive gesture by Telecom Provider LIME, as it had GOJ (Government of Jamaica) blessing with the presence of Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites and State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson.

The Lucky 7 East Kingston Schools that received Telecom Provider Digicel:

1.      Elletson Road Primary

2.      Holy Rosary Primary

3.      Norman Gardens Primary

4.      Rollington Town Primary

5.      Windward Road Primary and Junior High

6.      Rennock Lodge Primary

7.      Port Royal Primary and Infant Schools 

In spirit, if not in heart, they BOTH agree with the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites and State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson as both Tablet donations are packed with educational software. Heck, I’ll even overlook the fact that the 9.7” Apple iPad is way too large for Preparatory and Primary School Students, who’ll probably smash ‘em all up by the end of the year (lol, parents, get the7” Apple iPad Mini next time!!).

Ditto too the fact that the Huawei Media Pads 7 Lite has lackluster Battery life of four and a half (4 ½ hrs) as reported in “Huawei Media Pad 7 Lite: The next big, little thing”, published Tuesday, December 04, 2012, The Jamaica Observer. They’re probably very excited as for many; it’s probably their first Computing device…like ever.

This as it relates to my suggestion on this blog of having Preparatory and Primary School Students receive Tablets as stated in my blog article entitled “UWI Medical Sciences Students get deal on JL Mobile SmartTab Tablets and cheaper ebook versions of Textbooks - From Gross Anatomy to Islandwide Push towards Tablet Adoption”.

After all, if the GOJ is doing it to save on paper and reduce bureaucracy as concluded in my blog article entitled “GOJ Parliamentarians upgraded to Microsoft Surface Tablets and GovNET Wide Area Network - Minister Paulwell efforts to reduce paper may accelerate Jamaican Tablet Adoption”, why not introduce it to Preparatory and Primary School Students? Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel seem to agree with this logic, and have effectively via this gesture, kick-started Jamaica into the 21^st century with this donation of Tablets towards their education.

In the process, were the Ministry of Education to adopt the above and synchronize it to GovNET, they can change the curriculum of Preparatory and Primary School in Jamaica to make Computer Programming mandatory language, like Spanish or French. Thus the following are necessary for a True Science and Technology Society:

1.      Mathematics

2.      English A and B

3.      Language: Spanish or French and Computer Programming

4.      History: World and Caribbean

Programming is the language which one uses to speak to machines at their level as argued in my blog article entitled “The Evolution of the Raspberry Pi Computer into a Mainstream Wearable Computer - How to teach Computer Programming using Flying Sword of Dragon Gate” . It would spur the development of an App Economy in Jamaica as also argued in my Geezam blog article entitled “Smartphones and Apps – Freemium Games are No. 1”, creating entrepreneurs out of young High School leavers who by then would have upgrade to a better Tablet Computer or Laptop.

This would make it possible that by High School, many Preparatory and Primary School Students, armed with Tablets, would already have marketable Jobs skills to obtain work in CARICOM (Caribbean Community),  Latin America, Canada or the US of A: a language, be it French or Spanish and Computer Programming.

The Government of India is already doing likewise with the State sponsored Aakash Tablet made by DataWind in July 2010 to introduce Computing to its Preparatory and Primary School Students as reported originally in my Geezam blog article entitled “$25 Raspberry Pi Mini USB PC and the $22 Aakash Tablet – Computer Adoption on a Budget”.

They’ve since upgraded to the Aakash 2 in November 2012, which is further subsidized to the price of US$20 as stated in the article “India unveils new version of 'world's cheapest tablet'”, published November 12, 2012, PhysOrg.

Thus this gesture is indeed indication that BOTH Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel may be jointly bidding of one of the Two (2) 700MHz Spectrum to build-out an islandwide 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution)100MBps capable Wireless Broadband Network.  I had concluded this in my blog article entitled “LIME outsources Network Maintenance to Ericsson - The Lone Rangers in Telecoms may have to Tag Team to get a 700Mhz license for 4G LTE” as the CAPEX makes it prohibitively expensive foe any SINGLE telecom Provider to go it alone.

So this is how it starts for certain, as the future I really in the childrens’ hands, not hours. Via this donation Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel have not only guaranteed themselves a place in heaven, which is ruled by children, but have also restored the faith of Jamaicans in the Telecoms Community as it relates to their long-term intentions for 4G LTE.

It should also make the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites and State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson explored the possibility of expanding this program to the rest of the island, jump starting a love for Languages and Computer Programming necessary for a Science and Technology Society.

It can’t be the case that Med Sci Students are the only one to benefit from the lower cost of books via the use of Tablets as stated in my blog article entitled “UWI Medical Sciences Students get deal on JL Mobile SmartTab Tablets and cheaper ebook versions of Textbooks - From Gross Anatomy to Islandwide Push towards Tablet Adoption”.

Therefore, Dear Reader, bear witness to these events recorded herein: How Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) started a Love for Computer Programming Languages in Jamaica.